Silicon Prairie Cyber Services' Blog

Have you seen the Black Friday and Cyber Monday ads that started Nov 1 st ? The black Friday shopping that started Nov 4 th ? Clearly, businesses want you to spend your money shopping with them. And that means cyber criminals are just a few steps behind, and ready to snag your cash instead. In order to help you keep your money safe and receive the gifts you want this holiday season, I’m sharing… 10 TIPS FOR A SAFE AND SECURE HOLIDAY SHOPPING SEASON 1.  Turn on MULTI-FACTOR AUTHENTICATION Add that extra layer of security to all of your accounts by adding an extra step to your login-procedure. This is a code you enter after you submit your username and password. The code can arrive via an app (such as Google Authenticator), text, or email. It may also called to as dual-factor or two-factor and is abbreviated as MFA or 2FA. Enable it everywhere possible -especially on password keepers, email, and financial accounts. 2.  Avoid FREE WIFI That FREE WiFi you're using might ...

Let’s talk about phishing emails and the techniques used by cyber criminals to get you to click. Today, I’m going to focus on the subject line.   The subject line is super important, and that’s why the bad guys are using it against you. Why is the subject line so important? The subject line is the first and only hint at what the email is about. If you can’t reel ‘em in with the subject line they might never open your email. In fact, the subject line is so important that marketers test different subject lines against each other to see which one will get the most opens.   Cyber criminals try to invoke a sense of urgency and emotions to get you to click. That’s why words like ‘URGENT’ and ‘IMPORTANT’ have appeared in their subject lines for years. But now, there’s a new word in the subject line, and that new word is ‘NEW.’   THE NEW WORD IS NEW.   WHY IS ‘NEW’ SUCH A POWERFUL WORD IN PHISHING EMAILS? Legit emails and alerts contain the word ‘new’ The...

Have you heard about the UC San Diego Health data breach?   It started with a phishing attack back in December, and now the personal info of patients, students, and employees could be in the hands of cybercriminals. The victims could face identity theft at any time.   A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF AN EMPLOYEE DOING THE EVIL BIDDING OF THE BAD GUY. Employee(s) took action as directed in the phishing email. Those actions gave the hackers access to employee email accounts. The hackers could access everything in the employee email accounts.   WHY IT’S BAD FOR BUSINESS The hackers can access any password reset links that arrive via email. The hackers can access any multi factor authentication codes that arrive via email. The hackers can send emails directly from your email account and message your contacts requesting information or even changing payment instructions.   WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Sometimes maliciou...

    Have you noticed that in addition to sharing cybersecurity tips I also spend a like of time talking about spam and email?   Are you wondering why a cybersecurity expert is spending so much time talking about emails and spam?   Here's why...   Email offers TWO enormous opportunities. One for cyber criminals to wreak havoc and another for businesses to reach their clients.   You see, there are over 4 billion emails users across the globe, and 95% of them are checking their email EVERY DAY . This makes email a very effective tool to reach people. If you can get your message into the inbox, there is a prime chance that they will see you a...

How good are you are resisting the simply irresistible? Yes, I’ve got another Robert Palmer analogy for you. She was Simply Irresistible Robert Palmer and another infamous song and video in 1988 called  Simply Irresistible , and yes, you can find the Robert Palmer Girls in the video. I’m not sure what makes it more famous: the catchy tune, the nonsensical lyrics, the swagger of the girls, or that it was everywhere in the late 80s. The Theories There are a few theories about the meaning of this song, and normally I’m not one to look deeply into hidden meanings, but I’m going to share my favorite theory with you. “…a mythical force that is really seducing Robert Palmer against his will. My theory is that this song is really about a siren’s song confusing the singer and making him “compromise his principle… You're obliged to conform when there's no other course or …I'm breaking promises, she's breaking every law.” My favorite theory is courtesy of Hannah McIsaac. Cybercrim...

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day yesterday, I thought I thought I’d follow the theme and share something about Ireland and leprechauns. A Trip to Ireland I visited Ireland many years ago, and it was a glorious trip. The Euro recently introduced to the country, and the exchange rate was not in my favor. What I remember most about the trip was how friendly everyone was. People smiled. Greeted you with kind words. When we needed advice on something to do or needed directions, everyone was glad to help. Sadly, I never did spy or catch a leprechaun. The Origins of Leprechauns Tales of leprechauns date back to the 1600s with mentions of little men and cobbling shoes. Later, they become associated with riches and gold. With all these stories, leprechauns are never the hero. He’s either helping or hindering the hero. More often than not he’s in a grumpy mood and he’s the ultimate trickster. Even if you catch that leprechaun, you’ll never get that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Cybercrimin...

Do you remember the song “Addicted to Love” by Robert Palmer from the 80s? More importantly,  do you remember the music video for the song ? If you don’t remember or if you’re way younger than me (sniff, sniff) let me explain. The memorable part of the video was Palmer’s band in the video, known as the Robert Palmer Girls. They were a quintet of identical women playing keyboard, guitar, and drums. Here's what they looked like in the video.  They were also well known for having this uninterested look on their faces as well. Robert Palmer's Girls in Addicted to Love in 1986 Did you know this was all part of Robert Plamer’s Brilliant Spoofing Plan? Everyone refers to them as identical women, but they’re not.  They look similar, but they are not identical.  They have dark hair, the same makeup, the same bright red lipstick, and the same clothes and shoes.  All of this was before HD TV so they really did look extremely similar, but they each looked a little bit diffe...

Have you heard of spoofing? It's common to see this word when discussing cyber-attacks. Hackers love to spoof email addresses, websites, and even phone numbers. What is spoofing? Spoofing is impersonating legitimate email addresses or websites to trick you into CLICKING.  Fraudsters want you to click on the link or open the attachment to give them the access or information they want. Why they do it. The fraudster has a much better chance of getting you to take action if he can trick you into believing that his email or website is the real deal. They are relying on your tendency to skim and not review closely. He wants you to click so he can steal your username and password, your information, your money, and more.   How it works. Fraudsters easily spoof email addresses, websites, and domains by flipping a couple of letters around, using numbers instead of letters, or tricky domain naming.   Is spoofing a big deal?   Yes.  Spoofing is a big deal, round 3.1 billion...